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Candice Patton Says Fans Were Racist To Her
While Candice Patton has starred in all eight seasons, she has not always been content with her on-set experience.
“In 2014, there were no support systems,” Patton, 34, recalled during an appearance on “The Open Up Podcast” earlier this month, claiming it was “not easy” to be one of the first Black actresses in the DC television universe. “No one was looking out for that. It was just free range to get abused every single day.”
She continued: “It’s a dangerous place to be in when you’re one of the first, and you’re facing backlash for it and there’s no help. Now, people understand a little better and they understand how fans can be racist, especially in the genre, and misogynistic. But at the time it was kind of like: ‘Yeah that’s how fans are, but whatever.’”
Although the world has changed since 2014, Patton revealed that she had considered leaving the show as early as its second season to cope with what was being thrown at her. “I wanted to leave the show as early as Season 2. I remember being like: ‘I can’t do this, I’m not gonna make it through, I’m severely unhappy.’” she said to podcast host Elliot Knight, “It was more about the protocols in place and the things I see happening for my white counterpart that’s not happening to me.”
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Candice Patton — On Why She Stayed All Through The 8 Seasons
Patton says she felt she was being treated differently from her white colleagues, and on top of that, she did not get any support from the people around her.
“Seeing how I was treated differently than other people. Seeing how I’m not protected by the network and the studio. Those were the things that not necessarily hurt me but frustrated me. … With the companies I was working with like CW and Warner Brothers, that [‘whatever’] was their way of handling it. I think we know better now that it’s not okay to treat your talent that way and to let them go through this abuse and harassment.”
Patton revealed that she chose to continue working with the show because she feels responsible for the inclusivity of the casting and being the female lead was one she saw as “iconic.” Patton went on to explain her thought process for her decision to stay on saying “It was such an iconic casting, such an iconic role, and I knew how much this meant to so many people that I felt a responsibility to stay in a space and a place that was probably very toxic for my mental health.”
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